Improvement in portable fences



E. S. HOTHAM. Portable-Fence.

Patented Oct. 30, I877.

Witnesses fiweizzw" UNITED STATES PATENT OEEioE.

EDMOND S. HOTHAM, OF POTSDAM, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,667, dated October 30, 1877; application filed January 16, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDMOND S. HoTHAM, of Potsdam, New York, have invented certain Improvements in Portable or Stationary Fences, of which the following is a specification:

The object of my improvement is to furnish a simple, cheap, and efficient fence, that can be set up permanently, or be readily removed or changed in position, without injury, by any common laborer.

The construction is as follows, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of two panels and a post set up; Fig. 2, the parts detached.

For straight board, picket, or board and wire fence, I employ horizontals a in the panels, suitably braced and united at each end with upright cleats b, by which they are held at a proper distance apart. These cleats b extend above and below the rails, and have notches in their upper and lower ends; or, instead thereof, metal slots may be substituted.

At the junction of the panels a post, p, is placed, consisting of a sill-piece with two parallel uprights affixed thereto near the center, with space between them to insert the cleated ends of the panels side by side, with the slotted ends of the cleats fitting upon the sill, as clearly seen in Fig. 1.

Two diagonal braces extend up from the ends of the sill, and cross each other just above the top rails of the panels. These are both united with the two uprights, one on each side,

leaving a space between them the thickness of the uprights. Into this space I fit a key, 7:, that slides down into the notches at the tops of the cleats, where it is held by a bolt 01- pin passing through it and the diagonals of the post, thus securely fastening the panels and post together.

If this structure is placed on inclined ground, either the upper or lower end of one of the cleats, as the case may require, can be passed beyond the line of its post, telescoping past the other panel to the extent required, its other end being fastened by the adjoining post.

The same results can be attained by substi tuting for the notches cleats or pins on either side of the uprights through the rails or panels, by which they can be similarly fixed in their respective places.

Having thus fully described my improved fence, I claim 1. The panels constructed, as herein described, with notches on their upright cleats, for attachment to the posts, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination, with a post formed, as herein described, with a recess above for a key to slide in, of a key, k, and panels, as and for the purposes specified.

EDMOND S. HOTHAM.

Witnesses E. H. AUSTIN, LUTHER E. WADLEIGH. 

